In the lush Northwest, a picturesque scene unfolds every June as the summer solstice approaches, signaling the beginning of longer days filled with sunlight. One local father’s reflection on his own gardening experiences has sparked a deeper conversation about nurturing a love for gardening in the next generation amid the challenges of picky eating.
A cherished photograph captures a moment from his childhood, where he stands in his father’s garden, intently gazing at something beyond the frame. Surrounded by a strawberry patch, climbing peas, and young basil plants, this snapshot serves as a constant reminder of how gardening can shape one’s identity.
This father’s gardening journey began early, instilled by his parents’ dedication to cultivating the outside world. Repetition allowed him to form a lasting bond with nature, influencing his role today as a gardener, an eater, a cook, a steward, and now a father who hopes to pass on that same passion to his own children.
Imagining sun-soaked summer days spent together in the garden, he envisioned shared moments of joy—snacking on fresh peas, plucking ripe cherry tomatoes, and harvesting berries with hands stained bright red. But reality sometimes diverges from imagination. His son has yet to develop a taste for those vegetables and fruits; in fact, he once tried a snap pea and promptly spit it out.
Despite these challenges, the father has not allowed his son’s pickiness to dim the joy of gardening together. Children thrive on tasks, and gardening provides ample opportunities. Be it planting seeds, watering plants, picking cherries, or searching for ripe blueberries, these moments are filled with discovery and learning.
The recent family ritual of blueberry harvesting has brought joy to their mornings. Climbing up a ladder to reach the cherry tree, heavy with vibrant fruit, and learning to discern ripe blueberries from unripe ones, each experience brings about a sense of accomplishment for the young helpers.
Gardening, the father notes, is not just about producing food; it is about instilling values that endure beyond the dinner table. While his son may not currently relish the taste of garden-fresh peas or tomatoes, each visit to the garden lays a foundation—one that will hopefully blossom into an appreciation for where food comes from.
As the summer solstice ushers in June, the garden transforms. The spring radishes have gone to seed, tomatoes begin to bear fruit, and garlic reaches the zenith of its nine-month maturation journey. Neighbors share their overplanted lettuce, providing a sense of community and sharing that enriches the gardening experience.
In the magical days of early summer, the father emphasizes the beauty of sharing these moments in the garden, irrespective of his son’s culinary preferences. Gardening generates invaluable learning opportunities, stimulating both the body and the mind. It fosters an understanding of the food cycle and nurtures a love for nature that can define one’s life.
As June unfolds in the Pacific Northwest, this father continues to cherish each moment spent in the garden with his young helpers, hopeful that their experiences today will cultivate a passion for gardening that can be harvested in years to come.
In an age of instant gratification, the lessons learned in the garden may prove to be the most rewarding of all. Happy Gardening!
image source from：seattleschild
